Over 170 Volunteers Help to Remove 91 Tons of Trash in PEC Community Illegal Dumpsite Cleanups

May 23, 2016

Program Update

Over the course of the spring season, PEC conducted cleanups at 24 illegal dumpsites across three counties to remove over 91 tons of trash.

Volunteers removed over 1,000 tires (even when it snowed) in various cleanups this spring.

With 20 organizations and seven municipalities partnering with PEC on these cleanups, 11 of the 24 illegal dumpsites were impacting waterways, with trash found in and/or on the shores of a waterway.

A total of 177 volunteers cleaned up 23 of the sites, while one site that was deemed unsafe for volunteers was cleaned up by a contractor hired by PEC. Volunteers worked over 800 hours in various elements from snow, rain, and warm weather to get the job done.

With over 91 tons of trash were removed and taken to landfills, and more than 13 tons of scrap metal and 1,098 tires were recycled as a part of the clean up projects. In-kind donations were received from our partners, Keep America Beautiful and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, while local donations were received from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Keystone Landfill, Herr’s Distributor, Pepsi Bottling Company, and Utz DistributionCenter.

Potter County

PEC’s ongoing partnership with the Potter County Conservation District resulted in the cleanup of ten sites. As a result, 2.8 tons of trash, 60 pounds of scrap metal, and 141 tires were removed by 41 volunteers working a total of 146 hours.

Volunteers came from the LEEK Hunting and Mountain Preserve, Upper Allegheny Watershed Association, VFW Post 6611, Potter County Conservation District, and Potter County Probation Office and Work Release Program. Participating municipalities included the Coudersport Borough and Oswayo Borough.

Susquehanna County

Eight sites were cleaned up in Susquehanna County as 91 volunteers from Boy Scout Troop 89, Friends of Starrucca Creek, Girl Scout Troop 50215, NEPA Rail-Trail Council, Southwestern Energy Marcellus Volunteer Council, the Armitage Foundation and the Roaring Run Hunting Camp worked 576 hours to clean up seven sites. One site was determined to be unsuitable for volunteers so PEC hired JS Wright Excavation — through a competitive bid process — to clean up the site.

In total, nearly 84 tons of trash was removed from these eight sites and taken to a landfill, while 11 tons of scrap metal and 810 tires were recycled. Harmony Township, South Gibson Township, and the Susquehanna Depot Borough partnered with PEC on these cleanups by providing various types of support and/or services.

Wayne County

Six sites were cleaned up in Wayne County and each were cleaned up through volunteer efforts. With 45 volunteers logging 160 total hours, nearly five tons of trash was removed and 1.7 tons of scrap metal and 147 tires were recycled.